Creatine is one of the best-studied aids for improving workout results. So why aren’t you taking it yet?

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We know guys love supplements that help them gain mass and build strength. But many women tend to shy away from ingredients that promote size, fearing that they’ll get too bulky. That’s one reason many women  still don’t reach for creatine when they’re picking out supplements to boost their workout results. But before you discount this well-studied strength aid, take a moment to consider the following benefits:

YOU’LL BUILD LEAN MUSCLE

Your muscle cells naturally make creatine phosphate, which when broken down provides immediate energy to muscle fibers. When you supplement with creatine, your body can store more of this energy-giving molecule, strengthening the contractions of the muscle fibers. That means you can pump out more reps—and build more muscle—when you’re training.

YOU’LL TRAIN LONGER (SO YOU’LL BURN MORE CALORIES)

Creatine supplementation helps your muscles replenish their energy stores, so you can train harder for longer periods. Here’s how: During any strenuous activity, your body gets its energy from a molecule called ATP, or adenosine triphosphate. During a complex metabolic process, ATP is broken down into ADP (adenosine diphosphate). Creatine helps add back a phosphate molecule to ADP, so your muscles once again have more ATP to work with and you can continue to burn it up at the gym.

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Why You Need B Vitamins

Learn about the eight different types of B vitamins, what they do for you and which healthy foods have them.

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Vitamins can be a confusing category to navigate but when you’re getting all of the vitamins and nutrients you need you’ll be likely to have more energy and better recover from your workouts. This quick and easy guide will help you better understand B vitamins.

What are the B vitamins responsible for?

B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning your body will excrete the excess through your urine.  Have you ever noticed that your urine is bright yellow after taking vitamin supplements?  That’s the excess being passed through your system. Vitamin B12 is the only water-soluble vitamin that doesn’t get excreted through urine. Instead, it’s absorbed into the intestine.

B vitamins use your macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) to generate energy by acting as coenzymes–“helper” molecules that assist in a biochemical reaction within your body. B vitamins help support your immune and nervous systems along with aiding energy metabolism.  Deficiencies of this vitamin can become an issue for athletes, hard-core gym goers, and competitive bodybuilders because their diets are very restrictive and their training demands are much more than someone who’s training for personal health.  Your also lose B vitamins when you sweat.

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